December 13th 2024 (yes it's Friday the 13th .... spoooooky!)
Nope! And we're happy for either. Though in my heart I feel it's a girl.
I'm feeling mostly great! The first trimester was a bit tough in the nausea department - Adam had to feed the pets their stinky canned food, clean up dog poo, and cook most meals but that was relatively short lived. My second trimester was mostly a breeze except for the string of headaches I got for weeks which were pretty awful. But again, that passed. I'm now just starting my third trimester and I feel fatigued daily but so happy to feel the little kicks, rolls, punches, headbutts and karate chops all day long. All in all I think I have it a lot easier than others so I'm not complaining!
FRUIT. This baby wants fruit all the time. I don't usually have a sweet tooth (I'm a savory girl till the end) but this baby wants grapes, apples, peaches, and kiwis. This is not to say it's all health food over here. This baby also demands cookies, cakes pastries, hot chocolate and ice cream. I'm hoping they will enter this world a real chunkster - Adam was apparently 9.5 pounds at birth so it's likely!
YES! Livi (12) is feeling very excited and is always wants to touch my stomach. She was a bit wobbly at first about the idea of no longer being 'the baby' sister, and is still a bit worried about what the baby will mean for my and Adam's attention and love for her. However, I believe all misgivings will disappear when she meets the baby and gets to be an amazing big sister. Chloe (16) is excited in a completely different way. She doesn't like to touch my stomach or think too much about the 'mechanics' of pregnancy and child birth, but she LOVES babies and is looking forward to playing with her little brother or sister. (And pretending she's a 'teen mum' when we go out in public (eye roll .... Chloe Jane... eye roll) Callum (19) could not possibly be more disinterested (haha!) But I'm sure when baby comes, he will rise to the occasion of being an awkward young man who is too cool for (scared of) babies and kids etc. We don't mind - he's a good brother to his sisters and that is what's important.
We're really lucky here in England to have midwifery led units all over the country. In fact, they encourage low risk mothers who want to give birth naturally (me!) to have their babies at these midwife led birthing units rather than at larger hospitals. These units are run by midwives and maternity support workers rather than doctors. If there were to be any complications, there is an ambulance on call to take us to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. On the big day, I'll head down the road to the small city of Wallingford (15 minute drive) to the Birthing Unit at the community hospital. There they have private rooms with birthing pools, low/mood lighting, blue tooth speakers if I wanted to hook up my own music, various birth balls, chairs, beds to labor on and post natal rooms for recovery. I have NO idea what to expect and am going into this experience with an open mind and try and just trust those who will be supporting me through the birth.